As a first step to my last post, I decided that today was going to be the day I would begin my latest big project, been thinking about this for almost 2 months, collecting data and content, writing and rewriting how I think solar should be sold. We all start as Consultants, I did too, before I went on from Regional Manager to General Manager to an Associate Vice President. It is still a cottage industry today, and if I talk to someone as an employer, the first thing they want to talk to me about is a fixed income. Now, I am not against showing them the money, but this is a field that you don't know about, the normal rules of sales don't apply here.
Lead generation for most people is about talking on the phone and setting up meetings, while some dude does the hard work for them at the back end and gets them the numbers of people to talk to. Impossible as it may sound, I have worked for renewable companies without a fixed income, worked on targets and commissions, proven a point or two about who I am and what I get to the business and then demand my dues. I believe in a lot of smart work today, for instance last night I thought about how I would redefine my strategy for business. This was of course much later after I had written my last post "A Purchase Order for an Idea".
I walked into Mr Behl's office the other day, "What do you want now ?"
"Sir, need your feedback on how to sell this product."
"I don't have time for this now," brusque and to the point, I do appreciate directness.
And I gave him a direct one liner, " Would you appreciate if I gave you a CD/DVD with a thought about how to sell the product ?"
" I might be." but his eyes were open and ears cocked, listening.
"But I need brochures and hard copies of price list first," he wasn't going to give in easily, at least I had his attention.
He stays in a sparse dwelling which he calls his SOHO, but for a rich man I daresay he has 3 more villas in the same locality. He runs a PG accommodation for girls, where they are served food and get to stay in dingy rooms, ideal for hard working women, a righteous man of morals, I haven't heard of a single misdemeanour at his PG. A narrow staircase leads up to a sparkling SOHO. I sat there sipping my coffee that he had so graciously offered me, his wife himself had made the cuppa. He lit himself a cigar and sat down in front of me with a cup of green tea, nothing less for a sophisticated man like him, it was left for lesser mortals to have the black coffee with a spoon of sugar in it. I had thought of asking for milk but had refrained myself, I was a guest out to please the host. At the bottom of a staircase I had seen a newly developed restaurant chain in Delhi, "Wah Ji Wah", he had rented his ground floor to them for a hefty sum. Obviously he didn't need the money from sales, he was more interested in the thought of making it big in solar. The Sales CD/DVD had him interested, there is something about technology that props up most old men, me included, though I am at least 15 years younger than him. So everything he ever wanted from me on a DVD, what better way to begin on the track to being a Consultant. I had him convinced there, licking out of my hands and I had a gut feel, that this could be a big idea.
So last night, I downloaded Macromedia Authorware 7.0 from Adobe, a software I had worked on during my stint as a content developer more than a decade ago, those days of course Macromedia Director and Flash were the in tools to develop sparkling content, this though is a great software engine, it allows me to author content in the way that I want. The whole of last night till 5am was spent looking up and testing this software, mind you folks the trial version expires in 30 days. From content to training to quizzes it allows everything that one can dream of as an author, I could write previews of my book, if I ever got down to writing a book, on this software and burn to DVDs and hand it out to people.
So here's the thought for the day, I want people to start off as consultants in this industry, I often get questions regarding salary, "How much will you pay me ?" "Is it worth it ?" "I am good sales person, trust me." etc. I ask them straight on their face, "how much do you want ?"
The answers are less obvious, " See, I was making 20K at my last job, I would be happy with 30Ks."
Going for the jugular, "I will pay you 40Ks but the job you do will be all mine."
In short, your A** is mine. Not such a happy thought for most people content in the traditional thought of fixed income, and the comfort of 9-6 job. I am here to employ consultants, unless you have already made a mark in the industry and then we will reverse roles, I will work for you while you tell me where to look for the bank.
Show me the worth, and I will show you the money.
Lead generation for most people is about talking on the phone and setting up meetings, while some dude does the hard work for them at the back end and gets them the numbers of people to talk to. Impossible as it may sound, I have worked for renewable companies without a fixed income, worked on targets and commissions, proven a point or two about who I am and what I get to the business and then demand my dues. I believe in a lot of smart work today, for instance last night I thought about how I would redefine my strategy for business. This was of course much later after I had written my last post "A Purchase Order for an Idea".
I walked into Mr Behl's office the other day, "What do you want now ?"
"Sir, need your feedback on how to sell this product."
"I don't have time for this now," brusque and to the point, I do appreciate directness.
And I gave him a direct one liner, " Would you appreciate if I gave you a CD/DVD with a thought about how to sell the product ?"
" I might be." but his eyes were open and ears cocked, listening.
"But I need brochures and hard copies of price list first," he wasn't going to give in easily, at least I had his attention.
He stays in a sparse dwelling which he calls his SOHO, but for a rich man I daresay he has 3 more villas in the same locality. He runs a PG accommodation for girls, where they are served food and get to stay in dingy rooms, ideal for hard working women, a righteous man of morals, I haven't heard of a single misdemeanour at his PG. A narrow staircase leads up to a sparkling SOHO. I sat there sipping my coffee that he had so graciously offered me, his wife himself had made the cuppa. He lit himself a cigar and sat down in front of me with a cup of green tea, nothing less for a sophisticated man like him, it was left for lesser mortals to have the black coffee with a spoon of sugar in it. I had thought of asking for milk but had refrained myself, I was a guest out to please the host. At the bottom of a staircase I had seen a newly developed restaurant chain in Delhi, "Wah Ji Wah", he had rented his ground floor to them for a hefty sum. Obviously he didn't need the money from sales, he was more interested in the thought of making it big in solar. The Sales CD/DVD had him interested, there is something about technology that props up most old men, me included, though I am at least 15 years younger than him. So everything he ever wanted from me on a DVD, what better way to begin on the track to being a Consultant. I had him convinced there, licking out of my hands and I had a gut feel, that this could be a big idea.
So last night, I downloaded Macromedia Authorware 7.0 from Adobe, a software I had worked on during my stint as a content developer more than a decade ago, those days of course Macromedia Director and Flash were the in tools to develop sparkling content, this though is a great software engine, it allows me to author content in the way that I want. The whole of last night till 5am was spent looking up and testing this software, mind you folks the trial version expires in 30 days. From content to training to quizzes it allows everything that one can dream of as an author, I could write previews of my book, if I ever got down to writing a book, on this software and burn to DVDs and hand it out to people.
So here's the thought for the day, I want people to start off as consultants in this industry, I often get questions regarding salary, "How much will you pay me ?" "Is it worth it ?" "I am good sales person, trust me." etc. I ask them straight on their face, "how much do you want ?"
The answers are less obvious, " See, I was making 20K at my last job, I would be happy with 30Ks."
Going for the jugular, "I will pay you 40Ks but the job you do will be all mine."
In short, your A** is mine. Not such a happy thought for most people content in the traditional thought of fixed income, and the comfort of 9-6 job. I am here to employ consultants, unless you have already made a mark in the industry and then we will reverse roles, I will work for you while you tell me where to look for the bank.
Show me the worth, and I will show you the money.
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